Spring is the time for deep cleaning, and this year’s spring cleaning may have revealed some damaged surfaces, deferred maintenance, and opportunities for improvement. Fortunately, your do-it-yourself skills can help your house look and function better than ever. Here are ten ideas that you can use to spruce up your entire home – inside and out.
- Fix that damaged wood tabletop or countertop
Does your home have a wood countertop that’s warped and discolored? Or an old wood table top covered with stains? There are two easy solutions: sand and refinish or cover with tile. Add a strip of wood trim around the edges to frame the tile, and then it’s just an easy thin set project. Talk to an expert about how to match the finish on an old piece of wood furniture.
- Build a pet table
Your pets make a mess when they eat, and there’s a section of the kitchen floor that’s always littered with pet food. Why not build a low table – just a couple of inches high, with a slightly raised lip – for the pet food bowls? Is will look cute, your pets will dine in luxury, and your floor will be a lot cleaner.
- Update your bathroom
If your bathroom is looking outdated and old, make it a summer project. You can start by replacing your old linoleum floor with tile or installing a new countertop. Update the vanity with a fresh coat of paint, or consider putting a frame around your existing mirror. These touches will give your bathroom, or bathrooms, a whole new look.
- Go 100% compact fluorescent
Want to fully convert to compact fluorescent bulbs, but you need to update your light fixtures to use CFLs? This makes a great summertime self improvement project. You’ll love the lower electricity bills!
- Install a sunshade or patio cover
Picture a wood trellis overhead, with vines twining through the openings and cascading down the posts, or perhaps a retractable canopy. All it takes is cardboard tube-formed footings, posts, and a wood or fabric cover. Your barbeque will be a hit, rain or shine, and you’ll enjoy summer a whole lot more.
- Replace your windows
Do you still have inefficient single glazed windows? You can install double glazed panels into your existing, historic window frames or, if preservation isn’t an issue, replace both the frames and the glazing. Not only will this update the look of your house, but it will help you save energy at the same time.
- Repave your driveway
Is your driveway putting your car’s suspension in serious danger? Consider repaving or resurfacing your driveway this summer. Concrete and asphalt aren’t the only options. Consider one of the new permeable pavements that offer better drainage and benefit the environment.
- Organize your workshop
Your garage workshop will keep all of your summer home improvement projects in line – so why not give it some attention? You can custom build a system of hooks, shelves and drawers or you can buy them readymade and install them. It can make an amazing difference in your productivity.
- Frame and hang new pictures
How long have your walls been decorated with the same pictures? Rather than spending a fortune on framing, why not break out those posters you’ve been storing in tubes and build your own unique frames?
- Refinish outdoor areas
Scraping and repainting your window frames, porch, trim, garage, and/or shed could improve your home’s curb appeal. Walk around outside your home and make a list of what needs to be refinished. You can get the jobs completed in a weekend or two.
What about you? Do you have any home improvement projects on the schedule for this summer?
